


Thanksgiving

by poly_pr1nce



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Jack is a Little Shit, Karma - Freeform, M/M, Neil being a champ of a not-boyfriend, and the foxes trying to be supportive, basically Andrew's mind being horrid, can you tell im still figuring out how to tag???, family - the real kind, idk how to tag this, mentions / references to Drake, save for one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 02:38:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14534874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poly_pr1nce/pseuds/poly_pr1nce
Summary: OK so the first Thanksgiving after Colombia is utter chaos. The Foxes are all there, plus the freshmen. And come on, the thing with Drake was highly publicised, so the freshmen all know just how important / horrific Thanksgiving and the weeekend before it are for the Foxes.





	Thanksgiving

**4 days before:**

No one is really bothered yet. Yes they know it’s coming but at the same time, no one is really keeping track on a calander. But Andrew gets more tempramental at practice, and tenser behind the dorm door. Everyone notices, but no one joins the dots up yet. Except Neil, who may as well be keeping track on a calander. But he knows Andrew well enough to know not to ask him about it…yet.

 

**10 days before:**

Neil gets snappy and sassier at practice - to the point Kevin pulls him aside and pulls him up on it. But Neil doesn’t say what the problem is; how could Kevin not realise? He was there the year before, he knows how fucked up Thanksgiving and the weekend before it are! But it’s Kevin so he remains oblivious. Aaron starts to join the dots though, and when he realises why Andrew is aiming balls at everyone’s ankles and why Neil is ripping everyone’s throats out, he isn’t a happy bunny. He may or may not pick a fight with a freshman, and if he does, it’s got nothing to do with his brother’s recently empting gaze, and if he storms off court or throws his helmet against the wall, Andrew doesn’t care at all, no way…

 

**8 days before:**

The freshmen have put the dots together now. Not all of them, but enough. In other words: Jack. Jack is a piece of work, and is a twisted little fucker so of course he puts it together. And when he does, it’s hilarious to him. Neil being so protective and sensitive over his boyfriend who’s gaze has been gettting hollower and hollower and who’s attitude has been getting worse and worse over the past week. By now, Andrew is glaring at everyone and throwing his wracket on the ground in the foyer and has been ignoring everyone and basically been mute to everyone except Neil. The rest of the Foxes still haven’t put it together, but they’re noticing.

Dan asks Matt who shrugs and says “Maybe they’re having relationship problems?” becuse of course Matt is a sweetheart who wants the best for his best bro Neil so would assume Neil’s recent increase in his attitude problem would be from a fight with his darling boyfriend. Reneee knows though - but of course she keeps her mouth shut because it’s not her trauma to relive or her secret to tell or her issues to come to grips with.

 

**7 days before AKA the aniversary of Drake:**

This time, the date of Drake-Colombbia falls on a Friday, so it’s a game day. Kevin and Aaron and the rest of the Foxes are all at morning gym, but Neil and Andrew aren’t. Nicky sugggests they’re running late, having gotten caught up in bed that morning (inticing a gagging noise from Aaron, who’s homophobia has only increased the past few days). But half an hour later and still no sign of the two. That’s when Dan asks around, and due to pure Fox bad luck, she asks Jack if he’s got any idea (OK she was addressing the room, but it was Jack who answered).

(Wymack walks into the room at the exact same time Dan starts speaking.)

“Where could those two be -?”

“Where the hell are Josten and Minyard -?”

“Don’t you mean Wesninski and Spear?” Jack remarks, and that’s when it clicks for Wymack. His face freezes, and Jack only smirks. Dan hasn’t clicked yet though. “Jack, don’t start. That’s really getting old.”

“I’m just saying, sweetcheeks,” Jack continues with a sneer, “Wesninski is probably fucking Spear to death in that bed of theirs.”

“Jack, I said quit with those names,” Dan snaps.

“Yeah that all happened a year ago; get over it already,” Allison says. The Foxes go quiet - well, the Monsters, anyway. Because that’s when it clicks. A year ago. To. the. day.

“Shit,” Nicky mumbles.

“What?” Dan asks with a glance at him.

“A year ago…” Nicky gulps and shakes his head before looking at Dan. “It’s a week before Thanksgivng, Dan.”

Dan blinks, before she clicks. “Fuck!”

“Yeah, Spear probably said that too,” Jack sneers. Matt punches Jack. Jack goes down and the rest of the team just stare.

“He asked for it,” is all Matt says. Aaron agrees with a curt nod.

“Do you think they’ll be OK for the game tongiht?” Allison asks because she clicked too. Dan and Matt look at each other, as do the rest of the Foxes.

“What were they like when you left?” Dan asks Kevin and Nicky, since they share the dorm with Andrew and Neil.

“I didn’t see them.” Nicky sounds so fucking close to tears, but he keeps talking. “I mean, I don’t usually - Neil is almost always out on his run when I get up, and Andrew’s Andrew - he always sleeps in or stays in the room until Neil gets back. I didn’t even think….”

“Kevin?”Because Kevin shares the room with them.

“They weren’ even in the room when I got up,” he says. “They left before I woke up - I just tought Neil had actually convinced Andrew to go on a run wit him.”

“Kevin when the fuck does that ever happen!“

“I don’t know I just assumed-!”

“Oh like that’s new!”

“Cut it out!” Wymack goes between Kevin and Allison before they can maim each other. “No fighting, not today.”

The room goes silent, save for Jack making demented noises because Matt totally could’ve broke his jaw. “Shit. Hemmick, Minyard, go back to the dorm and look for them.” Nicky and Aaron look at each other, but head off anyway. “The rest of you, I don’t want to hear nother word about any of this. Not to me, not to the team, and NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES to Minyard or Josten. Got it?”

“Yes Coach.”

He walks out the room, throwing “And someone get him to Abby!” over his shoulder. After a few seconds, one of the other fresmen helps Jack up and they head down to Abby’s office.

 

—

 

When Nicky and Aaron get back to the dorm, it’s still empty. But Andrew’s car is still in the lot, and Neil’s trainers and bag are still there, so those two haven’t gone far. They check Matt’s dorm since Aaron has they key but that’s empty too. They search everywhere they can think of - the library, the cafe, even empty classes and shower rooms, but they’re nowhere to be found. That is until Nicky and Aaron are standing outside the Tower and an empty bottle of vodka smashes onto the pavement a few feet from them. When they look up, they see two pairs of feet clad in fluffy socks hanging off the roof.

“Of bloody couse,” Aaron mutters, and the two hurry up the stairs until they get to the door to the roof and after a few failed attempts they manage to get it open. They walk out and sure enough Neil and Andrew are sitting on the edge, not talking or even visably looking at each other, just sitting there, cigarettes in hand-and-mouth, Andrew now without a bottle of vodka. “You know you almost hit us with that, right?”

“But we didn’t.” Neil’s tone is flat and cold, enough so that it could give Andrew’s usual tone a run for it’s money. Nicky and Aaron start walking over to the pair.

“Don’t.” It’s the only thing Andrew has said to either of them in days, and they both stop. Nicky flinches all over when he realises why Andrew said it, and Aaron just freezes.

“You seriously think -”

“It doesn’t matter what I think. It’s all fucked up in here,” Andrew monotones with a gesture to his temple - the same temple which was cut and smeared crimson a year before, and Aaron knows that and knows Andrew knows he knows. The four of them are silent for a few minutes, just looking at the view and pointedly not each other.

“Will you two be OK to play tonight?” Nicky asks. Andrew’s barked laugh is sarastic and low and hoarse and in no way manic, but it still sends shivers up Aaron’s spine and makes him unable to see anything but the grinning bloody face staring at him a year ago.

“Junkies,” is all his twin says this time as he takes a drag from his cigarette.

“We can play,” Neil adds a few seconds later. “Just don’t expect us to play nice.”

“Are you sure? You don’t have to if–”

“Yes.” Andrew’s voice is sharp. He doesn’t say anything else, but nothing else needs to be said. That ‘yes’ is all that matters in that moment, and they all know it. After another few minutes of silnce, Nicky and Aaron walk back down the stairs and Andrew lights up another cigarette.

 

—

That night it’s an away game. The Foxes get on the bus, and Wymack breathes a sigh of relief when he sees Andrew and Neil on that back seat. When they get there, the team get into the foyer half an hour early. Jack’s jaw wasn’t broken, only severely bruised and his mouth lost a tooth. So unfortunately he could still speak. He’s talking with the other freshmen when he notices Andrew and Neil sitting silently on the floor across the room. He cuts off the conversation and walks over to them, getting the attention of the room and creating complete silnce. “Hey can you two settle a bet for me please,” he starts. When he sees Andrew’s already blank face completely shut down at that last word, he smirks.

“Jack,” Dan cuts in but he ignores her, looking at the redhead and blonde in front of him.

“What is it?” Neil asks, knowing Andrew wont answer.

“Which of you is the top and which is the bottom? We can’t decide.”

“Jack!”

Again he ignores the shout, this one from Dan and Nicky, still staring intently at the two men in front of him. “See, if Josten is the bottom, I lose $300,” he goes on. “But if Josten is the top, I get $600.”

“Just shut up, Jack,” Andrew says, voice dangerously even. “You’re not winning or losing any bets tonight.”

But Jack only grins. “Oh but you just settled one right now,” he says. “Spear.”

“Jack-!”

“Andrew-!”

“Minyard-!”

“The fuck-!”

“Shit-!”

Andrew lunges at Jack and the pair land with a loud thud on the floor. It’s all a blur as they punch and kick at each other and soon enough there’s blood being spit out by both parties. At some point, Wymack storms in shouting “What the hell is going on?” Soon after this, Matt hauls Andrew off and quickly lets him go, before dragging Jack up and keeping hold of him. Neil’s just put his arm out in front of Andrew, knowing better than to touch him when he’s like this; instead he knows simply putting his hand where Andrew can focus on it is enough to keep the blonde at his side.

Wymack looks between the pair and then around the room, before pinching the bridge of his nose. “I don’t want to know. Boyd, did either of them break anything?”

“Just the obvious, Coach,” Matt says quietly, because both boys have split lips and Jack has a broken nose.

“Right. Jack, you’re benched for the whole game tonight, and you’re running a fucking marathon.”

“What?” Of course Jack argues back. “But Coach, he attacked me-”

“Because you fucking coaxed him into it,” Wymack snaps back. On Wymack’s word, one of the freshmen takes Jack to Abby or the second time that day. “Minyard?” Wymack looks to Andrew, who’s breathing only slightly heavier than normal and staring into space. When Andrew doesn’t answer, Wymack clicks his fingers. Andrew’s eyes dart to him. “Can you play tonight?”

The entire room is silent for a few seconds, until Andrew says flatly “Yes.”

“Right. Get changed, the lot of you. And Minyard,” he adds and the blonde stares at him. “Two.” Andrew nods, and the Foxes all head off to the changing rooms.

 

That night, the Foxes win, a whoppping 9-2, and when they get back onto the bus Matt makes sure Jack sits at the front while Andrew and Neil head to their usual seat at the back. When they get back to Fox Tower, they all head off to Matt’s dorm with Wymack’s celebratory whiskey, save for Andrew and Neil, who have disapeared again.

But this time, Andrew’s car disappears with them. Because this time, Neil caught the keys Andrew threw at him and started driving. “Where to?”

"Home,” was all Andrew said betweeen his cigarette and fresh bottle of vodka. And so Neil drove them home to Andrew’s house in Colombia. When they get there, Andrew locks and double locks all the doors and windows while Neil simply watches, before Andrew leads him upstairs and into his room. “Do you want me to stay or go in another room?” Neil asks. Andrew just looks at him.

“Stay,” is all he says. Andrew locks the bedroom door despite it only being the two of them in the house, and then climbs over Neil to his preferred side against the wall. When the two settle down to sleep, Andrew asks a quiet “Yes or no” to which Neil replies

“Yes,” and Andrew runs his fingers over Neil’s scars, grounding himself. No one else felt like Neil, and so this was the only reason he could bare sharing a bed with the man tonight. When Neil starts drifting off to sleep, Andrew keeps tracing his scars. “Stay,” he whispers again. But whether it’s to the sleeping redhead beside him, or to his own mind and focus, he doesn’t know.

 

**6 days before AKA the next day:**

 

At Fox Tower, Nicky and Kevin realise the pair are still AWOL. When they look around they realise the car is gone - Nicky skips morning practice and begs Matt into letting him borrow the keys to the pick-up truck, which Matt hands over with a "Don’t wrap her around a tree,” and Nicky all but runs off. He’s not the smartest in the world but he knows his cousin and friend, and so knows the only place Andrew would feel close to 100% sage would be the house in Colombia.

—-

Meanwhile in said house, Neil has already woke up due to his internal alarm clock, but Andrew is still asleep. Neil watches the blonde beside him, doing his best to keep his breathing even and body still in order to not startle him. In his sleep, Andrew’s hands tighten on one of Neil’s arms, fingers digging into the scars there. A few minutes later, Neil’s heart breaks as Andrew frowns in his sleep and a broken, terrified whimper escapes from him.

“Andrew.” Neil keeps his tone flat and emotionless, knowing it’s what Andrew needs. But the blonde only flinches in his sleep, one of his hands helplessly squeezing tighter at Neil’s arm. “Andrew wake up!”

Andrew’s eyes dart open, and Neil tries not to flinch at the far away look in them, or the lack of recognition for what feels like ages but is probably less than two seconds. “You’re at your house. It’s just me. The doors are all locked. It’s only us here,” Neil says flatly, watching his boyfriend’s face carefully. “It’s only us. They can’t hurt you here and they won’t hurt you ever again.” It takes a few seconds, but recognition flickers in Andrew’s eyes and he glances at Neil.

“Yes or no?” Andrew asks and Neil watches his face as it carefully begins to return to the almost unreadable blank canvas.

“Yes.” Andrew runs his fingers and hands over Neil’s scars - over the burns, over the cuts, over the iron smack again and again and again, each round trip bringing with it a little more presence in the blonde man’s gaze.

“Talk,” he says, and Neil does. Neil talks about anything and everything - about what he was thinking of making for breakfast, of what he hoped the weather would be like, of broken folk stories he learned across Europe and shit talk he makes up on his feet (or back, rather). And when he runs out of that, he talks about movies he saw with the other Foxes, of the time Renee let him braid her hair because she thought he would be able to get it tight enough, and together they discovered he was shit at braiding hair. And then he talks about people he met while on the run, of what he thought their lives were like. Neither men know how much time passes while they’re like this and niether tries to keep track.

After a while, Andrew is lying with his chin on Neil’s shoulder, his palm flat against Neil’s scarred stomach. Neil has gone quiet and the two are simply lying there. “Are you making breakfast or not.” Andrew’s tone is flat again and Neil suppresses a smile.

“Sure.” He slowly sits up, Andrew moving with him and keeping one hand on him at all times. Together they give downstairs and Neil sets about making breakfast with Andrew attached to his side. They eat it in the living room curled up together on the couch. It’s only when Neil’s moving to put his plate through in the sink that someone knocks on the door. Andrew goes completely still for a second before blinking at Neil and beginning to move off the couch, hand back to Neil’s arm. Naturally it’s only when Andrew unlocks the door that Neil realises they’re both still in their sweats, but he a second later he doesn’t care because he sees Matt’s truck out front behind the Maserati and Nicky standing awkwardly on the front step.

“I just wanted to check you two were OK.”

“You could’ve called.”

“You two never answer your phones.” Neither argue because Nicky’s right of course. “Can I come in?” It’s directed at the two of them, but nicky only looks at Andrew, who nods after a few seconds and walks away from the door, pulling Neil along with him. Nicky comes in and sits on the other end of the sofa and together the three of them watch morning trash tv, Andrew and Neil semi-cuddling on one end and Nicky on the other.

—

A few hours later, Nicky leaves and returns to Fox Tower. “Are they OK?” Matt asks when Nicky returns the keys.

“I think so,” is all he says but that’s enough to get a smile from Matt. The pair don’t show up to afternoon practice but no one expected them too. Nicky and Kevin are talking on the couch when Wymack stalks into the room and presses a pamphlet into Jack’s hands.

“No way! Fuck Coach I thought that was just a j-”

“Joke?” Wymack’s tone was flat and he stormed back out the room.

“What is it?” In answer, Jack held up the bit of paper and Matt choked on a laugh. Wymack had signed him up for a marathon.

“You deserve it,” was all the tall man said. The rest of the Foxes agreed with curt nods.

 

**4 days before:**

Andrew and Neil get back to Fox Tower on Monday morning in time for practice. The Foxes all notice the marks on both boys’ necks but they all value their lives and none of them want to join Jack on the marathon so they all keep their mouths shut. Andrew doesn’t aim balls at ankles and Neil doesn’t rip people to shreds so the Foxes relax.

 

**Thanksgiving:**

It happens at Abby’s house. Even though it’s a Friday, there are no games since it was canceled due to the holiday. All the Foxes are there and there are over 30 dishes on the table. It’s loud and boisterous and plenty of empty threats are made and arms smacked and food thrown across the table. It’s exactly what they all need. It’s a family Thanksgiving on the truest way.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for any mistakes, I'm not proofreading today


End file.
